Who's torn their ACL? How do you know? Advice?

About 5 weeks ago I injured my knee during an impromptu sparring session. I caught a guy with a kick from a bad position and thought I had just hyperextended it, which I have done more times than I can count. It did swell up pretty badly and I had some problems walking normally for a few days. I iced it regularly and took anti inflammatories.

Several weeks later, it's still not 100% but I am moving on it pretty well. I still have what would appear to be swelling in the front near the cap (possibly fluid?) and it is very painful to sit in a kneeling position. Yesterday I did a little hop motion and when I landed it went out on me and I had to go down onto one knee. It didn't swell up and it was back to it's normal slightly painful but usable self after about 10 minutes. There is also a slight pain on the outside of the knee.

Anybody have any experience with something like this? Does it sound like it's just a really bad hyperextension? Or did I possibly tear something this time? How can I tell?

True enough... the fact that you're even having to ask if you've torn your ACL is not a good sign. In terms of costs of ACL repair, this was the first hit on Google, where the good news is that it's an outpatient arthroscopic surgery, and the bad news is that it's still expensive. I do know football players who put off the surgery until after the end of the season, but to do that, they had to be fitted for fancy braces that were still very expensive.

*puts on super-amateur physiotherapist hat*

"[The ACL] connects from a posterio-lateral part of the femur to an anterio-medial part of the tibia. These attachments allow it to resist anterior translation of the tibia, in relation to the femur. More specifically, it is attached to the depression in front of the intercondyloid eminence of the tibia, being blended with the anterior extremity of the lateral meniscus. It passes up, backward, and laterally, and is fixed into the medial and back part of the lateral condyle of the femur."
-Wikipedia

So it starts high, back and (slightly) outside, and ends low, forward and (slightly) inside. My understanding is that its primary purpose is to stop the top of lower leg from moving forward relative to the bottom of the upper leg, so if you laid down, the doctor sat on your thigh facing your knee, and pulled your lower leg straight towards the ceiling, if it moved a significant amount, that'd be a sign your ACL is torn. That doesn't sound like something I'd want to try at home.

So it starts high, back and (slightly) outside, and ends low, forward and (slightly) inside. My understanding is that its primary purpose is to stop the top of lower leg from moving forward relative to the bottom of the upper leg, so if you laid down, the doctor sat on your thigh facing your knee, and pulled your lower leg straight towards the ceiling, if it moved a significant amount, that'd be a sign your ACL is torn. That doesn't sound like something I'd want to try at home.

*removes super-amateur physiotherapist hat*

Well judging by your above description and your online super amateur diagnoses, then it may not be the ACL. My lower leg does not want to move really any amount in that direction and I actually have a lot more pain when it is folded underneath and some pain if I try to lock it straight.

By trying to lock it straight I am actually moving my lower leg in that manner so I guess it could still be the ACL. Thanks for the info, I am hoping someone who is a bit more knowledgeable will come by eventually.

Wish I was in Canada with the excellent health care system. Lucky Canuck!

Wish I was in Canada with the excellent health care system. Lucky Canuck!

I suppose I am pretty lucky, yeah. It's no panacea here, but between federal coverage, my parents, university and work, I've had solid coverage for my whole life.

Speaking of experts, do you have any friends who are doctors/physios/etc. that you could call in a favour from? Alternately, ask around wherever you do your martial arts stuff, and see if anyone knows someone who'd be willing to help out a fellow pugilist.

I suppose I am pretty lucky, yeah. It's no panacea here, but between federal coverage, my parents, university and work, I've had solid coverage for my whole life.

Speaking of experts, do you have any friends who are doctors/physios/etc. that you could call in a favour from? Alternately, ask around wherever you do your martial arts stuff, and see if anyone knows someone who'd be willing to help out a fellow pugilist.

I have torn my ACL. Sounds more like you tore a muscle and some tissue. When I tore my ACL I couldn't even bend down to sit on the toilet without lowering myself with my arms.

I had a freakin cane.

"This is why we are here. Because the Martial Arts for too long have been cloaked in an unnecessary level of secrecy bordering on mysticism, and its in these shadows that the cockroaches love to hide. -Phrost"